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12 energy saving kitchen tips

Love getting creative in the kitchen? Well there’s ways to do it while saving energy at the same time.

Whether you’re making a tasty tart or the perfect pastry, Great British Bake-Off finalist Ian Cumming has compiled his top tips to get your cookery methods more energy efficient.

Here are a few of Ian’s energy saving tips and tricks...

1. Make use of available heat sources

Soften ingredients like butter in a bowl on a warm radiator or even a sunny windowsill.

2. Use your microwave

You can whip up some really light and flavoursome cakes in the microwave in under a minute. Less time means less energy.

3. Don’t keep the hob on

Pasta cooks really well in pre-heated water rather than boiling continuously. Just remember to stir it so it doesn’t stick together.

4. Use a slow cooker

It’s a great alternative to the oven for stews, tagines and curries, which need time for flavours to develop. Mine uses little more energy than a traditional light bulb.

5. Use bigger pans

A small amount of liquid on a large surface area takes less time and therefore less energy to heat.

6. Grill rather than bake

Grill the top of pre-cooked dishes like macaroni cheese or shepherd’s pie rather than baking them in the oven.

7. Use your hands

Beat ingredients by hand instead of with an electric whisk to save electricity and help you to work up an appetite.

8. Use a three-tier steamer

Try boiling rice at the bottom and cooking fish and vegetables in steaming pans above. That’s a whole meal cooked on one hob ring.

9. Don’t pre-heat the grill

The heat it generates as it is coming up to temperature contributes nicely to the cooking process.

10. Be imaginative

Use different cooking techniques from other cultures. I recently developed some Asian-style steamed buns, which use around three times less energy to make than baking a similar batch in the oven.

11. Watch your smart meter in-home display

Keep an eye on what you’re spending on gas and electricity as you go along with a smart meter. It will remind you to try out energy saving techniques and you’ll notice if you’ve accidentally left something switched on.

12. Try out some energy saving recipes

"When I’m busy in the kitchen, my smart meter reminds me to think about how I can reduce the energy I’m using, whether that means grilling instead of baking, or remembering to measure out the water I need before boiling the kettle." - Ian Cumming